| Executive Summary: Pragmatic Works’ DTS xChange converts Data Transformation Services (DTS) packages to native Microsoft SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS) packages for use with SQL Server 2008 and SQL Server 2005.
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Pragmatic Works’ DTS xChange converts DTS
packages to native SQL Server Integration Services
(SSIS) packages for use with SQL Server 2008 and SQL
Server 2005. DTS xChange takes a three-phase approach
to DTS-conversion projects: profiling, migration, and
monitoring. DTS xChange Profiler analyzes existing
DTS packages, reporting the tasks that comprise the
packages. For project planning, the profiler lets you enter
the estimated time that staff will need to complete the
conversion of each task type, and produces project totals.
The DTS xChange Migration tool converts the
packages. Once the conversion is complete, you
can use the Business Intelligence Development
Studio (BIDS) to manage and modify the
new SSIS packages. DTS xChange is available
in two editions: one for unlimited use and
one that performs unlimited migrations of
50 unique DTS packages. You can also purchase
DTS xChange Profiler as a standalone
product, and the DTS xChange free trial runs
with only the Profiler enabled.
Pros: Easy-to-use, wizard-driven DTS
migration tool offers more functionality
than Microsoft’s DTS Migration Wizard; you can
add support for SSIS features (e.g, Checkpoints);
outputs standard, modifiable SSIS packages
Cons: Very little documentation available; falls
short of 100 percent conversion
Rating: 3½ out of 5
Price: $4,995 for unlimited edition; $895
for 50-package migration limit; $495 for DTS
xChange Profiler only
Recommendation: You’ll still have some
work to do after you migrate packages, but DTS
xChange will save you a lot of time. You’d be crazy
to undertake a DTS migration project without at
least giving this product a try.
Contact: Pragmatic Works • www.dtsxchange.com • 617-532-0342 |
Installation runs quickly on any 32-bit
Windows Vista, Windows Server 2003,
or Windows XP system with SQL Server
2005’s SSIS
components and
Microsoft .NET
Framework 2.0 installed,
but documentation is
sparse. A Quick Start
Guide in PDF format
is the only documentation
that accompanied
the product, and the link
to online help led to an
“under construction”
web page. However, the
Quick Start Guide got me
started.
For my testing, I downloaded
and used a set of
DTS packages supplied
by Pragmatic Works. I
ran DTS xChange Profiler
against the test packages;
profiling took less than a minute. As Figure 1 shows, DTS xChange Profiler’s report summarized
the occurrence of each type of DTS task and data
provider found in the packages, then estimated each
package’s conversion time and cost. I also opened and
saved several of the packages on a remote SQL Server
2000 system. DTS xChange Profiler worked with that
system as well as it did with local packages.
The package-migration tool has capabilities that
SQL Server 2005’s DTS Package Migration Wizard
lacks, including the ability to migrate Dynamic Properties
tasks. The migration tool also handles most
flat-file scenarios and supports migration of ODBC
connections.
A Work In Progress
DTS xChange is a work in progress; in fact, Pragmatic
Works released several enhancements during the
writing of this review. As it stands, the product has
some weaknesses. Documentation is sparse, and in my
tests, not every DTS package migrated completely.
Still, DTS xChange does a much better job than the
Microsoft DTS Migration Wizard, and your SSIS packages
require little effort to complete. If you want a tool
that eliminates many hours of labor and lets you take
advantage of new SSIS facilities, DTS xChange is for
you.
End of Article
